Aloe plant named ‘OVROCKS03’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Aloe plant named ‘OVROCKS03’ which is characterized by a globular plant form with foliage arranged in a compact basal rosette, deltoid to narrowly deltoid succulent foliage which densely covered with prominent raised protuberances appearing as ribs and soft spines, and the stability of these characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Aloe hybrid.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Aloe disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘OVROCKS03’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rights application number 2017/2563, filed on Oct. 12, 2017, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘OVROCKS03’ is a seedling selection resulting from the controlled pollination of an unnamed Aloe haworthioides plant (unpatented), the seed parent, with an unnamed Aloe descoingsii plant (unpatented), the pollen parent. The crossing was made by the inventor in January of 2009 at a greenhouse in Fallbrook, Calif. In March of 2010, one seedling was observed which exhibited an abundance of protuberances presenting as raised ribs and soft spines when compared to the parent plants and all other progeny. After confirming the stability of the unique characteristics first observed, the new plant was selected for commercialization and given the name, ‘OVROCKS03’.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘OVROCKS03’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated in March of 2010 at a commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. The claimed plant has since been asexually propagated by way of meristematic tissue culture propagation. Through eight subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘OVROCKS03’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘OVROCKS03’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘OVROCKS03’ as a new and distinct Aloe cultivar:

-   -   1. ‘OVROCKS03’ exhibits a globular plant form with foliage         arranged in a compact basal rosette; and     -   2. ‘OVROCKS03’ exhibits deltoid to narrowly deltoid succulent         foliage which is held upright; and     -   3. ‘OVROCKS03’ exhibits foliage which densely covered with         prominent raised protuberances appearing as ribs and soft         spines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘OVROCKS03’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 12 months old, shown planted in an 8.5 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage arrangement of ‘OVROCKS03’.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘OVROCKS03’.

FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘OVROCKS03’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in June of 2017 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 12 months old ‘OVROCKS03’ plants grown in 8.5 cm nursery containers at a commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for Aloe which consisted of minimal overhead irrigation and fertilizer applications. No pest or disease control measures were utilized in production. Plants were grown under shade (approximately 10,000 lux) and no photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘OVROCKS03’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘OVROCKS03’ and comparisons with the parents and closest known comparator are provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a             non-branched basal rosette.         -   Plant form.—Globular.         -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—7.5 cm.         -   Plant spread.—Average of 11.8 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Low.         -   Plant vigor.—Moderate.         -   Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting             — Approximately 2 months at 22 degrees Celsius. Crop time —             Approximately 12 months to produce a marketable plant in an             8.5 cm container.         -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither             resistance nor susceptibility to typical Aloe pests and             diseases has been observed.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10             to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius; low             tolerance to rain; high tolerance to wind. -   Root system:     -   -   General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots. -   Stems:     -   -   Branching habit.—Leaves in a non-branching basal rosettes;             no main branches or lateral branches present. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Spirally placed in a rosette.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Attachment.—Sessile.         -   Quantity.—Approximately 25 leaves per rosette.         -   Shape.—Deltoid to narrow deltoid succulent leaves.         -   Dimensions.—5.8 cm long, 2.6 cm wide, and 0.5 cm thick, on             average.         -   Aspect.—Flat.         -   Attitude.—At an average angle of 45 degrees to the soil             level.         -   Apex.—Acuminate with a soft mucronate tip.         -   Base.—Broad cuneate.         -   Margin.—Densely dentate; teeth have an average length of 0.1             cm and are colored green-white, nearest to RHS 157D but             lighter. Margins are not undulated or lobed.         -   Texture, adaxial surface.—Glabrous and densely covered with             raised protuberances, presenting as small ribs and small             soft spines; on average, ribs are 0.2 cm long, 0.05 cm wide,             and 0.075 cm high; spines are 0.1 cm in diameter and 0.1 cm             high, on average.         -   Texture, abaxial surface.—Glabrous and densely covered with             protuberances, presenting as small ribs and small soft             spines; on average, ribs are 0.2 cm long, 0.05 cm wide, and             0.075 cm high; spines are 0.1 cm in diameter and 0.1 cm             high, on average.         -   Luster, adaxial surface.—Matte.         -   Luster, abaxial surface.—Matte.         -   Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to             RHS 137C, and fading to yellow-green towards the base,             nearest to RHS 144C; protuberances are colored green-white,             nearest to RHS 157B but lighter. Juvenile foliage, abaxial             surface — Green, nearest to RHS 137C, and fading to             yellow-green towards the base, nearest to RHS 144C;             protuberances are colored green-white, nearest to RHS 157B             but lighter. Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Nearest to in             between green, RHS NN137A, and yellow-green, RHS 147A; leaf             densely covered with ribs and spines which are colored             green-white, nearest to RHS 157B but lighter. Mature             foliage, abaxial surface — Nearest to in between green, RHS             NN137A, and yellow-green, RHS 147A; leaf densely covered             with ribs and spines which are colored green-white, nearest             to RHS 157B but lighter. Venation — No venation is visible.         -   Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile. -   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVROCKS03’ differ from the seed parent, an unnamed Aloe haworthioides plant (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

COMPARISON WITH SEED PARENT

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘OVROCKS03’ The seed parent. Abundance of foliage. Fewer leaves than More leaves than the seed parent. ‘OVROCKS03’. Foliage shape. Deltoid to narrow Narrowly deltoid. deltoid. Size of the spined Shorter spines. Longer spines. protuberances. General coloration of the Green-white. White. protuberances.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVROCKS03’ differ from the pollen parent, an unnamed Aloe descoingsii plant (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

COMPARISON WITH POLLEN PARENT

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘OVROCKS03’ The pollen parent. Foliage attitude. More upright than the Less upright than pollen parent. ‘OVROCKS031. Abundance of Very abundant. None present. protuberances on the foliage. Foliage size. Smaller than the pollen Larger than parent. ‘OVROCKS03’. General coloration of Lighter green. Darker green. entire rosette.

COMPARISONS WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVROCKS03’ differ from the commercial variety, Aloe rauhii ‘DEMI’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,485) in the following characteristics described in Table 3 below.

COMPARISON WITH COMPARISON PLANT

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘OVROCKS03’ ‘DEMI’ Growth habit. More compact. Less compact. Foliage shape. Deltoid to narrow deltoid. Broad ovate to near deltoid. Protuberances An abundance of An abundance of narrow, on the foliage. protuberances, presenting elongated protuberances as small ribs and soft which are tightly arranged spines. Arrangement into numerous longitudinal appears less organized rows across the entire leaf. than the protuberances of ‘DEMI’. Length of Longer than those of Shorter than those of protuberances. ‘DEMI’; more raised off ‘OVROCKS03’; less raised of the leaf surface, off of the leaf surface. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Aloe plant named ‘OVROCKS03’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 